Not the Golden Globes: check out ONECLOUDFEST on Facebook

The predictable Golden Globes kicked off another year of Film Festivals on Sunday, but while host Ricky Gervais was making cheap quips at the great and good in Los Angeles, another, rather different film festival was taking place.

ONECLOUDFEST has been established by a group of independent filmmakers and indie film lovers … nothing original there, but what does make ONECLOUDFEST unique is that it is taking place entirely on Facebook, and is the first festival to take advantage fully of social media, with the potential of tapping into a huge global audience.

There are four categories: Narrative Shorts, Documentaries, Music Videos and Animations.

Three expert judges (Goran Danasten – head of acquisitions, Swedish Television, JesperBergom-Larsson– short film commissioner of the Swedish Film Institute (2001–2005) and Bryan Keithley – film school nerd, USC /Master’s Cinematic Art) will be ranking finalists in each category using a simple numbering system, from best to least favourite. Audience ‘likes’ will also be another factor of choosing winners — so get your vote in!

“We will take the judges’ rankings, along with the audience response, and tally them together to declare ultimate winners. By combining the rankings from our expert panel and our global audience, we bring “the best of both worlds” to the ONECLOUDFEST competition,” organisers say.

The founders say the festival has been established to give the short film format ‘a place to truly shine’. “We know there are amazing films out there. But maybe through lack of awareness or maybe just because they don’t follow a cookie-cutterformula, these films haven’t gotten the notice they deserve — and that’s why we’re here.”

The finals are taking place now and are on Facebook until 29 February 2012, so drop in and cast your vote.

Back at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles Ricky Gervais announced: “The Globes are just like the Oscars, but without all that esteem.” It’s a tired format and while there are some terrific film festivals around the world, the Golden Globes is not one of them, however hard it tries.